The current energy crisis and environmental pollution problems can be efficiently resolved by photocatalytic hydrogen production using the water-splitting process. The key to this method is the development of highly efficient and low-cost semiconductor photocatalysts. In this work, CFs (carbon fibers) were synthesized using solid waste carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and were coupled with TiO2 to construct heterojunction to increase photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency. Using optimized 3 % CFs/TiO2, H2 yield rate of 85.4 µmol g-1 h-1 was obtained, which was 2.87-fold higher than using pure TiO2. Increased visible light absorption and effective photoinduced charge carrier separation were the causes of this increase in hydrogen generation. This study provides an alternative approach to recycling solid waste materials into valuable products that may improve semiconductor performance in solar energy-related applications.
